A World tour is a good idea in theory, but it looks like they can’t get enough players. Per ESPN: “The six-game, four-continent World All-Star Classic exhibition tour featuring two squads of All-Star NBA players is on hold, with Sunday’s scheduled game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, postponed indefinitely. The other five games on the tour, scheduled for London, Macau and Australia, already had been pushed back until late November. There was hope the game in San Juan could be salvaged and serve as proof to the other venues and investors that Atlanta businessman Cal Darden and his son, Cal Jr., were capable of pulling off the event.”

If any more big-name players drop out of this thing, they’re gonna have to change the barnstorming tour’s name. Dwight Howard becomes the latest to pull out. Per the Orlando Sentinel: “Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has withdrawn from the upcoming NBA World Tour, scheduled to begin Sunday in Puerto Rico. Howard’s business manager, Kevin Samples, told the Sentinel on Friday that ‘Dwight has also pulled out of the tour at this point.’ Whether Howard’s decision means the lockout is nearing an end isn’t known, but Miami Heat forward LeBron James, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul and New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony will also not be participating. The six-game world tour (Nov. 1-9) starts in Puerto Rico, then is scheduled to move to London and Macau before finishing in Australia.”

Some of the NBA’s biggest names have bowed out of the World All-Star Classic, and even though the barnstorming tour will start in Puerto Rico on Sunday, there are doubts about it going forward (sound familiar?) Per ESPN: “Organizers say Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Dwyane Wade are expected to headline an exhibition basketball game in Puerto Rico on Sunday. According to a press release, the World All-Star Classic also will feature Amare Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Carlos Boozer, Chris Kaman, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Tyson Chandler. However, All-Stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, originally slated to help headline the tour, have decided not to take part, sources with knowledge of the situation said. Durant is also wavering on playing in the entire tour, sources close to tour organizers said. The players were originally slated to travel across four continents with stops in London, Macau and Melbourne, Australia, but the defections have put those stops in jeapordy, a source said. The Puerto Rico game is a go in part due to brisk ticket sales, according to the source. James, Anthony and Paul made their decisions together after consulting with one another over the past week. The players wanted to use the lockout to spend more time with their families, sources said. The trio is somewhat hopeful that an NBA season can begin shortly, sources said.”